Speakers

Investor Conference, 8 April

Zin Bekkali

CEO and Group CIO,
Silk Invest

Zin Bekkali

Zin Bekkali has a proven track record in the asset management industry, having played various roles across asset classes. Over the years, he was at the forefront of developing and implementing industry best practices across investments, operations, marketing, business development and strategy.

His career has focused on investing in emerging markets, which is his deep passion.

In 2008, he brought together a unique team of investment partners and local investment talent to launch Silk Invest. The firm rapidly established itself as an impact-focused frontier markets specialist, and Zin was named "Frontiersman" by FTfm magazine in 2011. Silk Invest was able to develop its investment platform and product offering across asset classes.

His financial career started with ING Investment Management in The Hague as a Portfolio Manager before being promoted to Head of Marketing Services and a Business Manager. His next move was becoming a Consultant at Bain & Company. He moved to Fortis Investments as the Head of Promotion, Segmentation & Processes and later became the Head of Development & Processes. He left Fortis to start Silk Invest.

Zin has lived in different European and African countries and speaks Dutch, Arabic, French and English. He holds a Propedeuse degree in Econometrics and a Master’s in Operations Research & Management from the University of Amsterdam. Zin is a CFA charter holder and he completed his Executive MBA at the London Business School.

Tedd George

Founder and Chief Narrative Officer
Kleos Advisory

Tedd George

Tedd George (aka Dr Edward George) is the founder and Chief Narrative Officer of Kleos Advisory, which provides thought leadership and strategic advisory on emerging markets, commodity value chains and disruptive technology.

Drawing on more than 25 years of experience working in finance, commodities and African markets, Tedd advises companies and institutions working in Sub-Saharan Africa and delivers professional training on ESG and sustainable finance. Tedd has a diverse range of specialties, including African markets, disruptive technology (fintech, blockchain and trade tech), soft commodities (especially cocoa), agribusiness, trade and trade finance, and ESG.

Tedd is well known as a speaker, appearing regularly as chairman, keynote speaker and moderator within the world conference and webinar circuit. He is also a prominent commentator and content creator in the media.

Steven Gray, OBE

Regional representative for West Africa, UK Export Finance

Steven Gray, OBE

Steven Gray, OBE, is a seasoned business and finance professional with over three decades of experience advancing major projects across Africa and the Middle East, the last 13 years of which have been based in West Africa. Previously, Steven held senior positions in a range of industries — including trading, logistics, construction, infrastructure and mining — throughout Sub-Saharan Africa and the Middle East. His early career began in the UK construction sector, where he developed a practical understanding of project delivery that underpins his strategic approach to international business today.

Beyond his commercial roles, Steven has served in multiple non-governmental and advisory capacities. He was Vice Chairman of the UK-Ghana Chamber of Commerce and is a serving member. He also contributes his expertise as a member of the Economic Advisory Board of the British Chambers of Commerce and is leading an initiative to mobilise catalytic impact capital to drive sustainable human growth and shared prosperity in areas devastated by illegal mining activities in Ghana.

In June 2022, Steven’s dedication to strengthening British business interests in West Africa was recognised when he was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire. His influential leadership, deep regional knowledge and passion for sustainable economic development continue to drive impactful partnerships and strategic growth throughout Africa.

He holds an MBA from Heriot-Watt University and completed an Executive Leadership Program on Oil, Gas, and Mining Governance at the University of Oxford’s Blavatnik School of Government.

C. Sharma Rambocus

Managing Director - Head of Global Markets, Africa
Dinosaur Merchant Bank

C. Sharma Rambocus

Sharma Rambocus is a highly accomplished financial markets professional with nearly 20 years of experience in investment banking, spanning South Africa, Mauritius and the UK. He has held senior leadership roles, including Head of Trading and Head of Sales, at prestigious institutions such as Investec Group, Barclays Africa Group Limited, Absa Group, Société Générale Investment Banking and DMBL UK.

Currently serving as a Managing Director at DMBL UK, Sharma is responsible for driving the growth of the African business, working closely with banks, central banks, hedge funds, supranationals and asset managers across multiple jurisdictions. His expertise extends beyond the private sector, as he also actively participates in key public sector projects within the UK- Africa partnership, fostering financial collaboration and investment opportunities. In addition to his corporate leadership, Sharma has played a significant role in financial market education and governance.

He has held several high-profile positions within the Association Cambis1te Internationale (ACI) and currently serves as an Executive Committee Member of ACI’s Global Board of Education, contributing to the advancement of industry standards and professional development in global financial markets. With his deep market knowledge and extensive network, Sharma continues to be a driving force in shaping financial strategies and cross-border partnerships in the African and international banking landscape.

Charles Robertson

Chief economic advisor to Group CEO, Equity Group Holdings
Head of Macro-strategy, FIM Partners

Charles Robertson

Author: The Fastest Billion (2012), The Time Travelling Economist (2022)

Charles Robertson is a leading emerging and frontier markets specialist. He covers global economic themes with the greatest impact on emerging and frontier markets, including democratisation, demographics, education, electricity, ESG, fertility, pension funds, savings, terrorism and key ways to examine exchange rates, debt and equities in emerging and frontier markets.

In his previous roles, Charles was voted the number 1 frontier analyst in the Extel survey in 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020. He was named the number 1 frontier analyst in Institutional Investor in 2019, and Renaissance Capital was the number 1 rated frontier firm in 2016 and 2017. He was previously ranked the number one economics and macro analyst for emerging Europe, the Middle East and Africa in the Extel survey in 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010.

In 2021, he was the first non-African to receive the African Icon award from African Banker, as his work helped change perceptions about Africa and position the continent as a serious investment destination.

Charles graduated from the London School of Economics in 1993 and worked at a UK parliamentary defence think-tank and a research boutique until joining the financial services industry in 1998.

Roundtable: Exploring Green Finance Opportunities in the WAEMU Region, 9 April

Roundtable: Enhancing UK-WAEMU Cooperation for the Development of Islamic Finance, 9 April

Adnan Halawi

Senior Proposition Manager Islamic Finance, LSEG Data & Analytics

Adnan Halawi

Adnan Halawi is leading the product development of solutions that cater to the needs of Islamic and sustainable finance investors and professionals at the London Stock Exchange Group.

He has over 18 years of experience in developing customer-centric solutions, enabling informed investment decisions in sukuk and shariah-compliant assets, including areas of convergence between sustainable and Islamic finance. Adnan is a speaker at major conferences and the author of a wealth of articles on Sukuk and Sustainability.

He holds a Master’s in Financial Economics from the American University of Beirut, a Master’s in Digital Marketing from Instituto De Empresas Madrid and a Certificate in ESG Investing from CFA Institute.